Assembly for Action

Florida's Premiere Community Service COnference

OUR MISSION

Assembly for Action is committed to educating and enabling the next generation of leaders at the University of Florida to bridge the gap between student involvement and non - profit needs in Gainesville. This innovative program is the result of a collaborative effort with various student organizations, colleges, and institutions at the University of Florida and across Gainesville culminating in a four day conference for the top fifty applicants, which will be distinguished by the Bob Graham Center as Action Scholars.

THE EXPERIENCE

In addition to special lectures in leadership, social entrepreneurship, public speaking, and many other topics, Action Scholars will be paired with a local non - profit that best matches their preferences for a volunteering Day of Service. After learning about how non - profits function and the challenges that they face, students will be tasked with synthesizing the information from the special lectures across two weekends to write solution papers called Action Plans.

OUR IMPACT

The overall top three Action Plans (can be either a Collaborative Fellowship or New Initiative) in addition to the top Arts and Culture Action Plan will receive grant funding of $2,000 each. Action Plans can be as creative as Action Scholars wish so long as the plan is not-for-profit and pursues outcomes that will positively impact the Gainesville community. The Arts and Culture Grant was possible because of the support of Imagining America and The UF Center for the Humanities and the Public Sphere (Rothman Endowment. Three general categories that we expect most Action Plans to fall under are:

1. Collaborative Fellowship Grant - $2,000 each

Students will draft an Action Plan proposing how their individual involvement with a partner non - profit can help solve a significant challenge they face. These plans will require follow-up with our various non-profit partners in order to ensure the student is matched with an organization that is willing to take on the new project. Winning Collaborative Fellowship Action Plans will receive their grant allotment piece-by-piece as the Scholar requests funding to be sent directly to their non-profit for the completion of their project.

2. New Initiative Grant - $2,000 each

Students will draft an Action Plan proposing how a new student-run or student-led initiative can solve a significant challenge in the Gainesville community that is currently not addressed by any community organization or non - profit. Winning New Initiative Action Plan creators can begin to work as soon as the conference ends. To acquire funding for the project, the Action Scholar will have to make purchases on an as-need basis with the manager of the grant account, Ms. Sherry Feagle at the Bob Graham Center. Ms. Feagle will need to approve all purchases necessary for the completion of the community service project.

3. Arts and Culture Grant - $2,000 (one available)

This grant sponsored in part by Imaging America & The UF Center for the Humanities and the Public Sphere (Rothman Endowment encourages students to draft Action Plans proposing how an Arts and Culture Collaborative Fellowship or New Initiative could benefit the Gainesville community.

In addition to these grants, Assembly for Action will host special presentations with other community service grant providers on campus totaling a potential 20,000 dollars in additional funding opportunities for Action Scholars. The Assembly Action Scholars program will only be able to select the top 50 applicants for this program. All graduate and undergraduate University of Florida students of any major are welcome to apply. If selected, the cost to attend is entirely free and lunch is provided on both Saturday October 13 and Saturday October 20.